Swara Bhasker reacts to Hema Committee report: 'Showbiz always has been a male-centric industry'

Showbiz has always been a patriarchal power setup where if a woman speaks up she is labelled as a trouble maker said actor Swara Bhasker as the findings of the Justice Hema Committee report on sexual exploitation in Malayalam film industry leads to an uproar with more and more people coming forward to share their experiencesThe actor the first one from the Hindi film industry to publicly speak up on what is being described as Keralas MeToo moment shared a lengthy note on Instagram after reading the 233page report by the governmentappointed panelView this post on InstagramA post shared by Swara Bhasker reallyswaraAre other language industries in India even talking about such things Until we dont face the uncomfortable truths we all know exist all around us the brunt of existing abuses of power will continue to be borne by those who are vulnerableIt has been heartbreaking to read the findings of the committee More heartbreaking because it is familiar Maybe not every detail and not every nitty gritty but the larger picture of what the women have testified to is all too familiar she wroteBhasker known for her outspoken views on topical issues expressed solidarity with the women who spoke up and those who belong to the Women in Cinema Collective WCC who demanded an expert committee from the Kerala government to examine the working conditions in their industryShowbiz is and always has been a malecentric industry a patriarchal power setup Its also deeply perception sensitive and risk averseEvery day of productionshoot days but also pre and post production days are days when the meter is running and money is being spent No one likes a disruption Even if the disruptor has raised her voice for what is ethically correct Its so much more convenient and financially practical to just carry on she wrote in the post shared on Tuesday nightThough the expansive report was released on August 19 the Kerala governmentappointed panel to study issues of sexual harassment and gender inequality was constituted after the 2017 actress assault case involving actor DileepSilence is the convention and is appreciated practical and rewarded in the film industry added the 36yearoldShowbiz is not just patriarchal its also feudal in character Successful actors directors and producers are elevated to the status of demigods and anything they do goesIf they do something unsavoury the norm for everyone around is to look away If someone makes too much noise and doesnt let an issue drop label them trouble makers and let them bear the brunt of their over enthusiastic conscienceBhasker known for films such as Tanu Weds Manu franchise Nil Battey Sannata and Veere Di Wedding said the prevalence of sexual harassment in showbiz around the world is normalised by silenceThis happens everywhere in the world This is how sexual harassment in showbiz is normalised and this is how a predatory atmosphere becomes the way things areLets be clear when power equations are so skewed newcomers and other women who accept these conditions cannot be blamed for working within a framework they have not created Accountability must always be sought from those who hold the reins of power and who create conditions where women have no choice if they want work she addedThe actor gave a shoutout to the members of the WCC women who testified and those who provided solace to each other and to all those women who have suffered sexual harassment and violence in the industryYou are heroes and you are doing the work that people in positions of greater power ought to have done already Respect and solidarity with youOn Tuesday Mohanlal celebrated actor and president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists AMMA resigned alongside other top officials amid fierce backlash over some of its members facing sexual abuse allegationsMany women actors including a Bengali actor have gone public with allegations of sexual harassment against some of the wellknown faces of Malayalam cinema including eminent director Ranjith and actors Siddique and Mukesh in the wake of the report